Vintage 2014 was a season of extremes for us all in McLaren Vale. We had great winter rains which gave us a full soil moisture profile in time for a dry and windy spring. They don’t call it windy Willunga for nothing. We had a series of very hot days in January, followed by about 45mm of rain over a 48 period in early February which slowed ripening of our red grapes right down. We had picked all of our white grapes prior to the rain ‘event’ and so we had a decent break between whites and reds, like the good old days. Joch’s analysis of 2014 is that it was a gentleman’s vintage – everything came in slowly and in order.

"Scarce Earth is a McLaren Vale initiative exploring and celebrating the geological climatic and soil diversity of the region. All wines come from a single block, a small plot of land with a unique flavour profile and personality."  

The 2014 Braden’s Shiraz is made using grapes from our Braden’s Vineyard. It has been hand-made, hand bottled and is unfiltered. The wine was open fermented and spent no time in oak to allow the expression of the vineyard in its purest form.

Soil Type:          Bay of Biscay

Geology:           Christies Beach Formation, Quaternary period.

Elevation:          90 metres

Vine Age:          42 years

Vine clone:        Unknown, thought to be a Reynell selection

Volume:             30 dozen

• The Wine Front June 2016 Mike Bennie

  Origanically grown fruit from a block named Main Block, in Willunga. It’s set on Christies Beach Formation of soils. Only 70 metres above sea level here.

  Hmm, nice here. Like that fruity, spicy, floral lift to the wine. Sweet cherry-berry fruit, pure, lifted, hint of Chinese five spice, fennel, some tobacco character. Lovely. Medium weight, glossy textured, pulls out across a good stretch in the palate, finds just crisp acidity and fine lacy tannins to accompany. Gosh, almost feels cool climate. Sighs through the finish with chirp of sweet fruit and a burr of forgiveable, but slightly too tangy acidity. Pretty lovely.

  Rated : 94 Points
  Tasted : Jun-16

• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2014
• 2012
• 2011
• 2010